Animal-trap



(NoMpdeLf P. J. ..WILLIAMS.'

ANIMAL TRAP. No. 351,678. Patented Oct. 26, 1886.

WITNESSE j 06 I N, PETERS. Pholo-LN WBY. Washington. In;

one end of said cross-piece by means of a pivotters of reference indicate like parts, A repre- UNITED STATES FRANK WILLIAMS,

PATENT O FICE.

OF MACY, INDIANA.

ANlMAL-TR AP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 351,678, dated October 26, 1886.

- Application filed June '7, 1886.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK J. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Macy, in the county of Miami and. State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinAnimal-Traps; andIdo hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in whic Figure l is a perspective view of my improved trap when set, dotted lines showing it sprung, and Fig. 2 is-a detail view showing the setting plate and stem.

My invention has relation to animaltraps; and it consists in the improved construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, in which likeletsents the base-frame,which consists of parallel side pieces joined at the ends by arches; B, steel guide-rods, firmly secured in an upright position in the middle of said side pieces; 0, a cross-piece secured to the upper ends of said rods; D, a yoke formed to slide up and down on said rods; E, an actuating-rod secured to the middle of said yoke and projecting up wardly therefrom through a hole in the middle of said cross-piece; F, a spiral retracting-sprin g secured to the upper side of the cross-piece and surrounding said actuating-rod; G, a plate attaehed to the middle of the lower side of the yoke; H, steel spikes projecting downwardly from its lower surface; I, a sleeve hinged to pin passed through lips on said sleeve and a lug on the cross-piece; J a trip-rod,whic h fits atljustably in said sleeve; K, a set-screw for securing the same in the desired position; L, the stem pivoted to the projecting ends ofa. metal strip wrapped around and secured to the the end of saidstem; N, the setting-plate; O, a plate-spring secured to the end of the crosspiece under the lug, and, curving downward, it bears against the lower end of said sleeve; and P,a canreuded trip-lever, pivoted to said cross-piece by means ofa short bar, Q.

Serial No. 204,388. (No model.)

At the upper end of the spiral spring is formed a bail or retaining-catch, R, at the ends of which'are loops S. From the lower -with a vertical slot, into one side of which .projectsanarrow strip, X. Through this slot said stem passes, as seen in Fig. 2.

.To set the trap, the outer end of the lever is raised; then the yoke is elevated till the inner Tend of said lever falls between the pins T and U. In this position the yoke is momentarily held by turning against the actuating-rod the set-screwY in the side of the cross-piece. Then the trip-rod is sprung in till the pin W on the stem can rest against the inner side of the strip X, in which position the pin V bears against the cam end of the lever. The spiral spring is now stretched up by the loops till the bail can be placed in a notch on the upper end of the actuating-rod. The set-screw Y is then turned, and said spring exerts its force upon said rod, yoke, and spiked plate, and upon the inner end of the lever; but the outer end, bearing against the pin on the sleeve, holds said lever in place till the trip-rod is released.

. The trap is sprung when the treadle is raised or when it is depressed, the pin on the stem I being readily slipped by either movement from engagement with the strip of the setting-plate,

and as the trip-rod is thrown out by the platespring the trip-lever is disengaged, and the v spiral spring forces the spiked plate down with -transfixing force.

Making the trap-rod adjustable provides means for raising and lowering the treadle, to adapt the trap for use in catching moles, rats, or gophers.

The arched end pieces of the base-frame allow the animal to pass readily under as well as over said treadle. lower end of the trip-rod; M, the treadle upon Having thus fully described my invention, I

claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. In an animal-trap, the combination of a frame, a plate moving on the guide-rods of the same, having spikes projecting from its under side and an actuating-rod from its upper side, a spring around said actuating-rod, a bail having loops at its ends secured to the top of said spring, a set-screw in the cross-piece of said frame, and means for setting and springing said trap.

2. In an animal-trap, the combination ofa frame having a spring-actuated spiked plate moving therein, a triplever pivoted to the cross-piece of said frame, one end of which en gages with said plate, a trip-rod pivoted to the top of said frame, a spring secured to the top of said frame, engaging with said trip-rod, and a treadle secured to the lower end of said rod.

3. In an animal-trap, the combination of a frame having a spring-actuated spiked plate moving therein, a trip-lever pivotally secured to the eross-pieee andengaging with said plate, a sleeve pivoted to the top of said frame having a set-screw at one side, a trip-rod in said sleeve, and means for operating said trip-rod. 2o

4. In an animal-trap, the combination of a frame having a movable impaling device and a trip-lever, a trip-rod pivoted to the top of said frame, a treadle pivoted to thelower end of said rod, a pin projecting from the stem of 25 said treadle, and a setting-plate having a strip or lug at one side which engages with said pm.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto afiixed my signature in c presence of two witnesses.

FRANK J. \VILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

DAVID O. HUFFMAN, \VILLIAM L. MINTER. 

